Bush Leading By Example Regarding Health, Fitness

President George W. Bush received his annual physical examination on Saturday at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and was found to be in "superior" shape because of his regular workout schedule and healthy eating habits.

The 59-year-old Bush lost eight pounds over the past seven months, lowering the body weight of his 5'11" frame to 192 pounds. During last year's reelection campaign, Bush complained he was often forced to eat such junk foods as doughnuts which attributed to a six-pound increase in his weight at the end of last year.

White House spokesman Dana Perino responded to reporters' questions regarding Bush's health.

"He's in superior health," Perino said regarding the president. "I think you all know he's got a terrific fitness routine."

That fitness routine includes cycling, elliptical training, light treadmill work, weight lifting and stretching six days a week. As a result, Bush has been able to keep himself in excellent physical shape while leading the United States. The president is setting a good example for others to follow regarding weight maintenance through regular exercise.

Bush's overall cholesterol increased slightly from 170 to 178, with a slight dip in the HDL "good" cholesterol and a minor rise in the LDL "bad" cholesterol.

I thought my heart rate was low until I discovered that President Bush's resting heart rate is 47 beat per minute. All of that exercise he participates in has undoubtedly contributed to his incredible heart rate. Last week, I measured my resting heart rate and it was 45 bpm, very similar to Bush's.

Bush's body fat dropped from 18.25 down to 15.79. The president does not drink any alcholic beverages and limits his caffeine intake to coffee and diet sodas.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Bush exclaimed to reporters as he was leaving the hospital.

The nine-doctor panel led by Bush's personal doctor Richard Tubb examined the leader of the free world and said in a statement that there is "every reasonable expectation that [President Bush] will remain fit for duty for the duration of his presidency."

They added that Bush has a "low" to "very low" risk of getting heart disease.

It's nice to see the President of the United States leading by example regarding good health and physical fitness. Now if we can just get him and other elected officials to see how livin' la vida low-carb could help with the obesity problem in the United States, then we might start getting somewhere. But you can't blame Bush for our nation's poor health! :-)

Lo Carb-U Markets Unique Foods For Your Carb Conscious Appetite

Do you live in an area where there aren't a whole lot of choices when it comes to finding foods for your low-carb lifestyle? Do you ever wonder if there are any great-tasting low-carb alternatives to many of your favorite foods?

If you answered "yes" to either or both of those questions, then let me introduce you to a company called Lo Carb-U Foods. This Los Angeles-based business is a one-stop shop for anything and everything low-carb. They carry most of the Atkins products, but also offer many of the niche products you won't find at your local supermarket or Wal-mart.

I recently received some products from Lo Carb-U Foods and would like to share with you some of my favorites:


CINNAMON NUTRAGEOUS GRANOLA SNACKS

Do you miss the taste of a granola bar at breakfast or for a snack? This crunchy cinnamon snack can be eaten like cereal with some low-carb milk or as a stand alone cure for the munchies. Made with pecans, almonds, flax seed, oats and more, this product only has 1 net carb for a half cup serving. This is a great food to have when you just want a little something sweet, but nothing heavy. Even my wife LOVED it!


THINKRISPS ORIGINAL CHEDDAR

Have you wanted to taste something crunchy with the flavor of a Cheeze It cracker? Well, here it is! This baked cheese snack is amazingly made with JUST cheddar cheese, but it is oh so good. At just 1/2 gram of carbs per 16g serving, what a great snack as you are livin' la vida low-carb!


EVERYTHING BAGELS

Who says you can't have a bagel when you are on a low-carb lifestyle? These surprisingly delicious bagels are made with everything, but the kitchen sink and are loaded with lots of fiber which is good for you when you are low-carbing it! Also, that fiber can be subtracted from your carb intake, which gives you a net carb total of just over 5 1/2 carbs for each bagel. I made some excellent turkey and cheese sandwiches with these bagels or you can eat it by itself with some cream cheese. Livin' la vida low-carb is so much easier to do with products like this!


WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS

You can add Mexican flavor back to your low-carb program with these superb taco shells. Just brown some ground beef and add some taco seasoning (watch out for hidden sugars, though!). These 3 net carb shells help you make a low-carb fiesta for your mouth to savor again and again. I was really surprised by the texture and taste of these tacos!


CRISPY CARAMEL CANDY BARS

For that sweet tooth, you will enjoy these aptly named Splurge candy bars made with stomach-friendly, maltitol-free sugar substitutes, including oligofructose and erythritol. This particular flavor sort of tastes like the Whatchamacallit candy bar I used to love as a kid. It only has 3 net carbs and is an outstanding product to supplement your low-carb lifestyle.


CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA

I saved the BEST for last. If you love to eat pizza and you like a good deep dish crust. then your low-carb dream has come true! At just 4 net carbs for a personal-sized pizza, your taste buds will go into overdrive at this delicious offering. And you won't need to eat 30 of them to feel satisfied. 8-)

There are literally hundreds more products to choose from when you shop at Lo Carb-U Foods. Check them out some time and let us know which products you enjoyed the most. You can click on the banner at the top of this blog anytime to go to the Lo Carb-U Foods web site. Or, if you want to talk to someone LIVE and place your order by telephone, you can call them at 1-877-LOCARBU. Keep in mind they are on the West Coast, so please don't call before 11:00am EST. :-)

Tell Jason and the gang at Lo Carb-U Foods that Jimmy from "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" said HEY!

'Reflected Thoughts' Blog Entry Cuts To The Core Of Being Overweight

Do you need a gentle reminder of why you are livin' la vida low-carb? Then you need to read this touching story from a 23-year-old woman named Dee who pours her heart and her soul out in the words she writes about living as a fat person in this world.

In a blog entry from July 26, 2005, here are a few of the highlights of Dee's remarks:

"I grieved last night. For her. The one people point and laugh at, the one that people give shocking glances too, or exclaimed 'look what she’s eating, no wonder she’s that size.' I cried for her because she wants to pretend she’s invisible, that the world doesn’t see her flawless. That she doesn’t wear her pain on the outside...

She tries to make up for it by being kind, smart, and genuine to everyone around her. To impress others with her wit, or knowledge of the world. She lives every day in a place that focuses so hard on the material things, gives so much importance to the physical reflection, while she is trying to show them there is more out there – so much more than what she even allows them to see...

She strived for that acceptance recognition that she is worth existing here. The sting of laughter echoes in her ears, the stupid seconds of fat jokes that last for years in her mind. Her complete disgust in herself, she would stare so blankly at this suit, this suit that comprises all her hopes, and dreams, all her emotions and thoughts. She started to see the plastic, hollow body everyone else did....

She would wait for others to notice her. But they never seem to realize her – it’s much more then skin deep. She would let them tell her to her face 'should you really be eating that' because she made it painfully clear she knew she was fat, and that gave them the justification to make it painfully aware to her too...

I cried for her last night, because ... she still is, and was always me."

I don't know about you, but those few paragraphs leave me breathless and just sends chills up and down my spine every time I read it. It takes a lot of guts and courage to share those kind of comments with an ambivilant world who could not care less about people they don't think are beautiful. Dee has a real gift for piercing to the heart of the matter with her words and I hope she continues to write stuff like this! Be sure to read the rest of her comments at her blog called "Reflected Thoughts."

A couple of friends of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" responded to Dee's writings in comments at the "Reflected Thoughts" blog.

Diet King Adam Wilk wrote, "Very touching stuff--and very hard to read at times--very cutting, very deep, very sad--and very true. You write well. Adam"

Melting Mama Beth Badore, who helped me find Dee's blog entry (THANKS, Beth!), wrote, "Wow. Just, wow. ::breathe:: Beth"
 
I also wrote to Dee thanking her for sharing so freely what so many of us former and/or current overweight people have been wanting to express for years but didn't have the desire to open ourselves up for even more ridicule and shame.

Here's what I wrote at her blog:

I just came across your blog to read this narrative and all I can say is THANK YOU!!! You are speaking for so many of us in a way that hits home hard with a message that needs to be spread from shore to shore. God bless you for opening your heart and emotions through your writings and I pray you will find the special person that you are regardless of what people may think or say about you.

Jimmy Moore, "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man"
livinlowcarbman@charter.net
http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com

If you would like to share your comments about what Dee wrote, then you can write to her at reflectedthoughts@gmail.com. We owe this young lady a HUGE debt of gratitude for opening herself up like this and we should encourage her to keep sharing her writings! When you e-mail her, tell her "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" sent you. :-)

08/02/2005 UPDATE: After reading my response to her blog entry, Dee wrote me this e-mail:

Hi Jimmy,

Just wow, seriously I am so flattered I didn't even know what to say when I first read it, I just sat here thinking Wow, I'm glad someone else knows what it feels like - kind of takes away from my worry of
posting things like that on my blog. Because for as many people judge me for it, if I can help just one person realise they're not so alone - in their fight, in their doubts then it's worth it.

I also wanted to say Congratulations for your amazing weight loss! I'm just so amazed at the transformation of your whole life, and you seem to have that glow of a person truly content with how their life is headed, that they know their in control [of most things anyways] if they choose it. AND ALSO for the book!! how awesome is that! you must be stoked [I don't know if you guys use that word over there but it
basically means really happy, chuffed lol it might have been easier to just write that].

Keep up the good fight! It's awesome that you're so willing to share with others that might be lost out there in the world of Diets and Fads and All kinds of things. You look really happy, and after all - isn't that the underlying fundamental of living.

Kudus to you, and thank you again.

Cheers,

Dee

With a positive demeanor and enouraging spirit, this young lady is well on her way to becoming something great. I can't wait to read more from her in the future. THANKS, Dee! And, by the way, yes I know what "stoked" mean. :-)

Atkins Book Among Most Popular For Summer Reading

This Michigan-based Garden City Observer story about the rise in popularity among adults as well as children in a summer reading program reveals that the various diet books written by the late Dr. Robert Atkins are still among the most popular.

At the Livonia, Michigan branch of the Garden City Library system, here are the top three most requested nonfiction books:

1. Freakeconomics
2. 1776
3. Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution

Pretty neat stuff considering the Atkins book has been out for nearly three decades! Are we sure livin' la vida low-carb is dead? LOL!

Christian Dietitian Entertaining, But Not Giving Good Advice

Christian author and psychologist Dr. James Dobson had a guest on his "Focus on the Family" broadcast this past week named David Meinz. This man has a Master's Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Missouri and wrote a book entitled Eating By The Book: What The Bible Says About Food, Fat, Fitness, And Faith.

While Meinz is a highly entertaining and very humorous speaker, I believe his background and education as a dietitian has jaded his point of view regarding his belief regarding sound nutrition.

The three-part series from Meinz from Wednesday through Friday was heralded by Dr. Dobson as an eye-opening experience for him. Dr. Dobson, who had some heart health issues in the early 1990s, said he learned so much about healthy living from what Meinz shared with him that he just had to pass on the information to his audience.

But what his listeners heard from Meinz was just more of the same failed message we have heard time after time for too many years from yet another "expert." Throughout his talk, Meinz gave heavy emphasis on cutting back your fat intake to 50 grams or less per day without any regard for cutting back significantly on sugar or other carbohydrates. As you know, people who follow a low-carb prgram believe sugar is a much greater threat to your health than fat is. In fact, I have suggested that it is sugar, not fat that is responsible for the obesity problem in the United States. When you are livin' la vida low-carb, fat is not only recommended, but essential to weight loss and weight loss success.

Meinz gave good advice when he encouraged people to read nutrition labels very carefully. I even accentuate this point heavily in my upcoming book (called "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" and set for release in just a few short months! WOO HOO!). However, Meinz tells people to look almost exclusively at fat grams while completely ignoring the carbohydrates. This is simply NOT good advice. In Meinz' world, someone could easily consume a whole case or two of sugary sodas (which are fat free, by the ay!) and still be eating right. We know that would not be good for your health, don't we?

Interestingly, Meinz also told people to not worry about calories because they will be eating less calories when they cut their fat. I agree that people should not count calories, but I think they need to cut their carbs instead. Meinz and I have a similar philosophy regarding nutrition, but he believes in cutting fat and I believe in cutting back on carbohydrates. So who is right?

Well, we both are. You can successfully lose weight by either cutting your fat or cutting your carbs following a specific diet plan. Just don't do both at the same time! The real key to weight loss success is what happens once the weight loss is complete. Can you stick with your respective weight loss plan? If so, then you have found the key to sustaining and maintaining your weight. If not, then you probably need to get on a plan that allows you to eat the way you can feel comfortable eating for the rest of your life.

Dr. Dobson said on his program that he couldn't bear the thought of giving up sugar. But with all the excellent artificial sweeteners out there today, especially Splenda, ACE-K and stevia, eliminating sugar has never been better. It is a MUST if we are going to get this obesity monster under control in America.

I am sure Meinz is a good man advocating something that he earnestly believes will help people overcome their addiction to food. I appreciate anyone who is willing to stick their neck out to try to help people get healthy. As a former 410-pounder, I only have admiration for those who are paving the path to better health for those of us who have suffered with being overweight or obese.

However, it is my prayer that as more research and information becomes available about the incredible health benefits of the low-carb lifestyle, these dietitians and other health experts who so heavily push the low-fat/low-calorie/portion-control diets will give equal promotion and education about the low-carb weight loss alternative as well. It took me over 30 years to find the low-carb answer and lose 180 pounds in the process. But there's a whole world full of people who could and should benefit from it as well.

Study Ties Aspartame To Increased Brain Tumors And Cancer

A new study suggests that the artificial sweetener aspartame (aka Nutrasweet, Equal) has been directly linked to the formation of brain tumors as well as leukemia and lymphoma in lab rats.

An independent Italian research study by the Bologna-based European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences gave varying doses of aspartame to 1800 lab rats throughout the course of their lifespan beginning at eight weeks old.

In doses as low as 20 mg per kilogram of body weight, both leukemia and lymphoma were much more likely to occur in the females, with a trend towards developing the cancerous conditions with as little as 4 mg per kilogram of body weight.

What does this translate to in humans? That's just three diet sodas sweetened with aspartame for a 140-pound woman or four aspartame-flavored soft drinks for a 180-pound man. Of course, aspartame is found in thousands of diet products of all shapes and sizes.

There has been a move in recent years to transition to a much better and safer artificial sweetener, such as sucralose (aka Splenda). Although the sugar lobby is trying hard to discredit Splenda because of the public's desire for a safe sugar substitute, more and more people are turning away from aspartame in favor of sucralose-sweetened products as Splenda has overtaken Nutrasweet in popularity in just the past couple of years.

Dr. Morando Soffritti, who served as the scientific director for this study on aspartame, concluded that healthy women and children should probably "avoid consumer use of aspartame."

"We cannot continue to use aspartame in 6,000 types of products, soft drinks, yogurt, and whatever," he told WebMD.

Dr. Michael Jacobson from the Center For Science in the Public Interest, who is the one who wanted the FDA to put warning labels on sugar-flavored soft drinks, says this study proves the potential for aspartame to be unhealthy warrants a closer examination by researchers and an immediate switch to other safer artificial sweeteners.

"I think consumers should switch to Splenda, the sweetener known as sucralose," Jacobson declared, telling people not to be concerned if they happen to have small quantities of aspartame by accident.

Dr. Soffritti presented his study results to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and will be published in the European Journal of Oncology Nursing.

The EFSA announced on July 14 that they are not making any recommendations to consumers regarding aspartame consumption until more information is presented to them to suggest concern.

Of course, pro-aspartame groups are arguing that this latest study is not consistent with the years of research that has been conducted on aspartame for the past two decades.

But that didn't stop activist groups from filing racketeering charges against Nutrasweet Co. and the American Diabetes Association for distributing and promoting a "toxic" product in September 2004.

The class action lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is seeking $350 million in damages caused by alleged false reassurances about the safety of aspartame which they describe as a "deadly nuerotoxin unfit for human consumption." Interestingly, even U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is named in this lawsuit because of his role in getting aspartame approved by the FDA over twenty years ago.

My concern about all these allegations against aspartame is that once they destroy Nutrasweet, who will be next in the crosshairs? It's Splenda, of course, and the battle lines have already been drawn as the debate over its safety has begun in earnest. For those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb, we know that these attacks against Splenda are actually attacks against the very low-carb lifestyle that is so hated by the media and the sugar industry. They will do whatever they have to do to annihilate their competition and anybody who suggests people should eat less sugar.

Brace yourself for even more studies to be released in the coming months and years, not only against aspartame, but also against Splenda. Pay very close attention to who is behind the research and you will very likely see the fingerprints of the sugar lobby all over it. We'll be watching!

Jimmy Moore Joins National Weight Control Registry

I received a package of information in the mail on Thursday from the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, Rhode Island. They are the group that created the National Weight Control Registry of people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for a year or more. Yeah, I think I qualify for that! :-)

You may recall that this is the same organization that concluded based on their research that only people who follow a low-fat diet can maintain their weight loss. Well now they're going to have to contend with a man who lost 180 pounds following the low-carb lifestyle to add to their statistics. I can't wait to see their jaws drop!

I had to sign some medical consent forms, before and after pictures, and other information to get started with the five-year observation. They will be sending me a series of very detailed questionnaires about my weight loss and maintenance experience until 2010. The research information will be examined by Brown University Professor Dr. Rena R. Wing and University of Colorado Professor Dr. James O. Hill.

The data that is extrapolated from this research becomes part of those nationally released statistics on weight management that often come out about the best ways to lose weight. Maybe my participation in this research will turn some heads and help people realize that livin' la vida low-carb is not so bad after all. It's a slow process trying to turn the tide of public perception against low-carb, but little by little we can do it.

If you are a weight loss success story and have kept your weight off for over a year, then sign up to be a part of the National Weight Control Registry, too.

What's So Wrong With Drinking Diet Sodas?

While I was on vacation this past week in Tennessee, my father said something to me that I would like to get some feedback from my readers about. He noticed how much diet soda I liked to drink and made the statement:

"Drinking that much diet soda is not good for you."

Nevermind the fact that I no longer guzzle down gallons of sugary sodas anymore. Nevermind the fact that I lost 180 pounds drinking lots of Splenda-flavored, caffeine-free diet sodas. Nevermind that fact that I have been able to keep that weight loss off by continuing to drink high quantities of diet soda along with my gallon or so of water intake each day.

Somehow, none of that matters because "drinking that much diet soda is not good for you."

Say what? Can someone help me with this? I just don't get it. Sure, we had a ridiculous study come out in mid-June claiming diet sodas make you fatter than regular soft drinks. But what about real life? Is there anyone else who LOVES drinking diet soda and see it as an integral part of their weight loss and weight maintenance plan?

I know there are arguments from people about the dangers of caffeine and certain kinds of artificial sweeteners, but tell me what's so wrong with drinking diet sodas? They have been a godsend for me during my 180-pound weight loss and since. I am thankful for Diet Rite, Diet Coke with Splenda and others for being there for me with a GREAT tasting alternative to sugary sodas.

After today's blog entry about my "planned splurge" idea at her blog, Regina Wilshire is exempt from commenting on this. LOL! Just kidding. Actually, she offered her usual brand of evidenciary reasons for avoiding diet sodas in her previous comments on this subject six weeks ago. Here's what she wrote at the time:

While the results of the study may not make "common sense" - the body doesn't function metabolically on "logic", it functions on a primal level for survival - there are physiological reasons why a number of studies support the conclusion that even diet sodas may be counter-productive in weight-loss efforts (regardless of dietary approach - low-carb, low-fat, etc.).

The first and foremost among those is that "sweet" in the mouth - where digestion starts - stimulates an insulin response to prepare the body to metabolize the sugars/calories the body perceives to be coming in.

This is a well-documented response with aspartame in both animal and human studies.

We know insulin stimulates appetite, so one may be more inclined to eat more calories due to the insulin in the blood to raise blood sugar back up since insulin lowers blood sugars...with a diet soda the body has no blood sugar rise to lower, but now has insulin to deal with and declining blood sugar levels.

Second is the body's internal perception of calorie intake - something Fowler noted. Over time, eating or drinking artificially sweetened products may be counter-productive to the body's ability to gauge and self-regulate calorie intake.

It perceives calories coming in where none are and sets perceived calorie requirements higher over time since it thinks it's getting more calories than it actually is, thus stimulating more appetite and the potential to eat more calories than are actually needed over time.

Lastly, there is the self regulation of the person in what they are eating with the diet soda - if you drink a diet soda, the thinking goes with some people, you can eat something else that isn't necessarily a good choice since you've saved calories with the diet soda. Add that to the above two physiological responses within the metabolism and you've set yourself up to potentially eat too many calories.

Given the body of evidence that supports that artificial sweeteners elicit an insulin response and the potential to overeat calories one should be careful in using diet sodas within their diet - even low-carb. That is one reason (I think) that most of the low-carb diet authors limit how much artificial sweetener is allowed in a day when following a low-carb diet....it limits the potential for insulin response and thus increases in appetite from that insulin.

I understand what Regina is saying about the sugar substitutes, but I haven't seen any adverse effect on my weight because of it. Does anyone else have something to share that maybe I'm missing here? I am genuinely interested in hearing from people on both sides of this issue, whether you support drinking diet sodas or not. While I realize there are food purists out there who believe we should only be putting all-natural foods in our body and I respect people who can do that, I'm not one of them. That's not a good enough excuse to keep me from drinking my diet sodas.

Does anybody have a good reason why I shouldn't continue drinking my diet sodas?

From Zero to 200 in 4 Seconds Or Less

A couple was debating the purchase of a new car for weeks. He wanted a new truck to haul stuff around in, but she wanted a fast little sports car so she could zip through traffic around town. He probably would have settled on any old beat up truck, but everything she seemed interested in was way out of their price range.

"Look!" she exclaimed to him excitedly. "I want something that goes from zero to 200 in 4 seconds or less since my birthday is coming up soon. You could surprise me with something special."

So guess what he bought her? A brand new shiny bathroom scale!

The man was last seen driving a rickety pickup truck on a one-way trip headed for Mexico...

Controversial 'Planned Splurge' Strategy Needs Clarification

Hey everyone! I'm back in Spartanburg, South Carolina now after spending a week in west Tennessee. It's good to be home at last and a return to normality (whatever that is!).

It looks like my previous post about my "planned splurge" on Tuesday has caused quite a stir among many of my regular readers.

"Diet King" Adam Wilk wanted to know if I had dessert on my "planned splurge." Yep! I sure did. I ate about 15 of their cinnamon sticks.

Regina Wilshire wanted to know if I was "exaggerating" about the amount of food and drink I consumed on my "planned splurge." While I can occasionally hyperbolize to make a point, Regina, the numbers I provided you are exactly what I ate. Am I going to be punished with lashes from a wet noodle now?

Duncan Margetts is worried that I am "heading for fat-land again." Here's the highlight of what Duncan wrote:

"Your splurge meal perhaps demonstrates that deep down you still don't have the degree of mental control over your food intake that you're going to need to stay slim into the future. Food appears to feature all too prominently in your life."

Wow, Duncan! I'm so glad to know you care so much about me that you would give it to me straight. I REALLY appreciate that more than you can know. But you need not worry about me regarding the mental aspect of my weight loss and weight maintenance. I am in COMPLETE control of what I put in my mouth and with the number of carbohydrates I am allowing myself to eat.

If food appears to be a big part of my life, then it is simply for my enjoyment as I continue down this lifelong journey to remain healthy. I still weigh myself daily and keep a very close eye on any abnormal increases so I can take immediate action. It has worked for the past seven months since I lost my 180 pounds and I expect it to work for the rest of my life.

I could probably never do one of my "planned splurge" meals ever again and that would suit me fine. I really have overcome my desire to eat that way on a normal basis and am content with the deliciously satisfying foods I get to enjoy while livin' la vida low-carb. So why do I still do it? Because I can. The freedom that comes from that is greater than you could ever imagine if you have suffered with weight your entire life.

Again, THANK YOU Duncan for caring enough about my physical well-being to educate me about the effect my "planned splurge" meals have on my body. I can appreciate where you are coming from and gladly listen to your opinion because I respect what you have to say. We're both fighting this "food monkey" and will be forever and ever amen.

My low-carb recipe friend Kalyn Denny noted that she recently used the "planned splurge" strategy on a trip to California where she ate a burger and fries. Kalyn said she does this "every few months," especially when she is traveling and away from the kitchen she uses to whip up those great-tasting recipes she makes. She even had a small bowl of watermelon despite the fact it is loaded with sugar. Kalyn said she "felt out of sorts all day" and wished she had instead eaten a sugar-free fudgesicle! Now you're talking!

Finally, good ole Levi Wallach over at Twelve Black Code Monkeys chimes in with similar comments to what Duncan wrote me. Here's his comments regarding my "planned splurge" strategy:

"You do have to admit that you are intentionally bombarding your body with the stuff that you KNOW caused you problems in the past and you KNOW is bad for you, right? I understand you have a different philosophy in that this is supposedly keeping you from eating this more often, but is it because you eat so much that you get sick and so then you associate carbs with that sickness? Is that the healthiest way to control cravings? Seriously, I'm never craving junk with carbs. The only time when I start craving is when I actually eat a bunch of carbs. It's like the longer I've gone without the more distant that memory is and the more distant the craving is."

Those are all excellent points and let me address each one. I know the foods I choose to eat on my "planned splurge" are bad for me if I make them a regular part of my dietary intake. That's why I got fat to begin with, so I know it all too well. While I don't necessarily get "sick" from my "planned splurge" meals, I usually feel hot with minor nausea. Since it is only one meal, it does not have a lasting impact on my weight or the way I feel. After a few days of livin' la vida low-carb and regular cardio, my body is back to normal again and even in ketosis sometimes.

I don't recommend this strategy to anyone who still battles with cravings or food addiction because it could cause you to stumble. That's why I don't want anyone to misunderstand what the "planned splurge" is. It helped me stay on track on my low-carb lifestyle during my weight loss phase and is effective for me to keep the weight off. I will very likely phase out the "planned splurge" strategy very soon because I no longer need it. But I throw it out there as an option for people to consider if they think they are being deprived of a favorite food while low-carbing it. The "planned splurge" takes away that excuse from them for not doing low-carb.

THANK YOU to everyone who expressed an opinion about my controversial "planned splurge" strategy. Like I said, it may not work for everyone, but it worked for me. I don't pretend to be an expert on the best way to lose and maintain weight loss. But I will gladly share what worked for me and the "planned splurge" was a major part of my 180-pound weight loss success. If it can help somebody finally lose the weight to overcome their obesity problem, then it is worth offering it as an option for them to try. You have to remember that so many people are desperate out there and feel like there is no hope for them to lose weight. We know better and will be here to help them when they ask what worked for us.

Just Got Back From One Of My Splurge Meals...

Well, I am on vacation and I planned to have a splurge meal while I was away and today was the day. I went to Pizza Hut with my wife and father and ate about 30-something slices of pizza and 6 glasses of Diet Pepsi. Yummy! Back on livin' la vida low-carb for a while, though. :-)

Study Reveals Secret To Low-Carb Success

This Los Angeles Times story about the importance of protein in a low-carb lifestyle exposes a dirty little secret that those of who are livin' la vida low-carb already knew.

When you eat a controlled-carb diet, it goes without saying that you will be eating a lot more fat and protein than you would on a low-fat/low-calorie diet, which is generally higher in carbohydrates. The extra fat that you eat on a low-carb approach can help you feel full and give you the energy you need when carbohydrates are removed from your eating plan.

This article notes a new study that shows the reason why low-carb dieters are more satisfied for longer periods after eating is because of the extra protein they eat.

The study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington found that consuming higher quantities of protein (30-40% of calories) resulted in them eating less calories and losing more weight than a diet consisting of less protein (15-20% of calories).

GREAT NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVIN' LA VIDA LOW-CARB!!!

While eating a low-carb lifestyle does not automatically mean you will be eating more protein, you certainly have plenty of high-protein options available to you when you cut out the carbs. Meats, cheeses and more are all very acceptable foods for you to sink your teeth into when you are low-carbing it! But don't tell that to these experts. They'll do anything to discredit low-carb.

For example, read what this head of human nutrition at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen said about this study: "One of the reasons why the low-carbohydrate diets seemed to work is not because of low carbohydrates, but because of high protein."

WHO CARES why it works, it just works! Why can't these people just accept the fact that low-carb is an effective way to lose and maintain your weight. If that means we're eating more protein and that's what is doing it, then so be it. But if the two go hand-in-hand (and they do for many low-carbers), then why should it matter WHY it works. I'm content to know that it just does.

In fact, the study participants were forced to eat all of the food they were given in the study and many of them complained that they felt like they were eating too much on their high-protein diet.

This is something that I tell people all the time. If you are hungry on low-carb, then you must not be doing something right. The exact opposite happens when you are eating low-carb foods. You find you don't get hungry as much when you eat these kind of foods.

Now when I was losing weight on a low-fat diet in 1999, I was CONSTANTLY hungry. All of those carbohydrates I was eating were making my body crave more and more food until I would be ravenous on a continual basis. That doesn't happen much to me now that I'm on low-carb as long as I can eat on foods every few hours to maintain my hunger.

This week while I have been on vacation in Tennessee with my dad, it has been challenging being able to eat often enough to not get hungry. While I am trying to be good on my low-carb and they are trying to accomodate me, it is difficult for them to understand that I need to eat more often than they do. They like to eat big meals and then not eat for hours on end. I used to be able to do that, but now I have to eat SOMETHING more often.

Last night, my dad even said the reason why I have been getting so hungry this week is because I'm not eating enough carbs. Oi! My own father is so uneducated when it comes to these kind of things. I just gritted my teeth and asked if I could eat something low-carb. It's a learning process that more and more families need to go through for us to lick this obesity problem.

The article warns people that consuming too much protein can be bad for your kidneys if you already have kidney problems. But that should not prevent the vast majority of people from attempting a low-carb lifestyle if their weight is not under control. It helped me lose 180 pounds and has helped millions of others lose weight permanently.

This new study coincides with another study earlier this month that said consuming a high-protein, low-carb diet is good for your bones.

If you would like to try any of the high-protein, low-carb recipes that researchers used in the study, then click here.

Recipe Contest Offers Low-Carb Book Prize

My friend Mister Tut over at Health-Hack.com is currently conducting a "Tastiest Diet Food Hack-Off" contest at his web site by requesting people to submit their favorite original diet recipes that they use on their particular diet plans.

If you lose and maintain your weight by livin' la vida low-carb, then this is an excellent opportunity to share your best creations with the entire world (well, at least the world of Health-Hack.com!). The recipes will be compiled and posted for everyone to read and enjoy whether they are low-carb, low-fat or whatever!

The winner of this contest will win a FREE COPY of the low-carb health book entitled Protein Power by Michael and Mary Dan Eades.

You need to hurry and submit your recipe very soon because the final day you can enter the contest is July 31, 2005. The winner will be announced the first week of August.

Mister Tut says there will even be "bonus points" awarded to participants for creativity in explaining your recipe (aka the "Geek Factor").

If you have a recipe you would like to submit for the contest, first you need to register at no charge with Health-Hack.com. Then you simply click here to enter your recipe in the contest. GOOD LUCK!

Briefly Blogging While On Vacation...

I've been in the state of Tennessee for the past few days and DANG IT'S HOT! LOL! It's that way just about everywhere right now, isn't it? My dad has invited my relatives to meet for some homeade ice cream this afternoon for everyone to cool off. In case you are wondering, NO I'm not going to splurge on the ice cream. He bought me some great low-carb ice cream to enjoy while everyone else has the sugary stuff.

It's been weird for my dad to see me livin' la vida low-carb. He couldn't believe I put a way four cheeseburgers last night and still lose weight. But I did. And at a work day at his church this morning, I ate 4 thick sausage patties along with a half plate of eggs with cheese on top. This doesn't look like the low-fat diet foods I used to eat when I was younger and trying to lose weight.

I'm enjoying my time away, but I do miss writing on the blog. I guess we all need to get away every once in a while, don't we? Well, I had better get going so I can pick up some diet sodas and other snacks to eat on while I'm here. There's slim pickins at dad's house with foods I can eat. SEE YA!

Obesity Problem Will Not Go Away On Its Own

This Fredricksburg, Virginia-based Free-Lance Star op-ed underscores the urgency of taking action as soon as possible on the issue of rising obesity rates in America.

In the article entitled "Obesity: It's everyone's responsibility," the author laments that the U.S. life expectancy rate will fall by as many as five years in the next few decades.

"That's right--for the first time, the average life span is due to drop, and obesity is a major culprit."

The National Institute on Aging said the rate of obesity growth in the United States must be slowed down as soon as possible.

In fact, one health official shares the grim new that "today's younger generation will have shorter and less healthy lives than their parents for the first time in modern history unless we intervene."

I have been championing this cause ever since I was able to lost 180 pounds in 2004 by following a low-carb lifestyle combined with regular exercise. It is an issue that will not go away if we ignore it. This bull needs to be grabbed by the horns and brought down or else we will suffer the future consequences of our poor health choices in the coming years.

The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion stated the obvious in a recent report which said an obese child is more likely to stay obese when they reach adulthood. That's what happened to me. I was a fat kid my entire childhood and it only got worse as I got older. I am lucky that I was finally able to overcome my obesity problem before it caused me major health problems. Unfortunately, though, others aren't quite as fortunate.

People who are obese are at a higher risk for cancer, asthma, osteoarthritis, stroke, heart disorders and disease, high blood pressure, and even death.

The saddest part is that all of these symptoms are preventable if people who accept personal responsibility for their weight problem and tackle it themselves. That's some tough love that took me a very long time to accept and do something about myself. I know how hard it is, but my story proves it can and MUST be done.

The story bemoans the fact that U.S. public health and medical experts have not done very much to deal with this problem of obesity as it has gotten dramatically worse.

Why should they? Why do we need the government to step in and tell us to eat a low-fat/low-calorie/portion-controlled diet and workout three hours a day to get healthy? Clearly, that advice is not resonating with the vast majority of Americans based on the obesity statistics. What we need is to look at all health options and place them on the table for discussion. That includes the low-carb approach that is all but shunned by much of the health industry as "unhealthy" or "dangerous."

What is it going to take for the experts to realize their advice has been a failure? Isn't it time we start trying something new to help people with their weight problem? As noted in the article, an obese person has to deal with much more than physical health problems because of their weight. There is clear issues of "discrimination, greater physical pain, and lower energy levels" as well as mental issues of poor self-worth and lack of confidence.

The author of this story concludes that while becoming obese is a personal choice that people make about what foods they eat and how much activity they implement into their lives, it becomes all of our problem because "we are all affected" by it through more cases of disease, soaring healthcare premiums, lost productivity and disability.

Obesity is my problem if I'm the one who is obese. But does that mean I don't have a responsiblity to try to help others deal with their obesity problem if I have found an answer that works for me? Absolutely not! In fact, it is my duty to share with everyone I know my story of success livin' la vida low-carb so it can spur others to enjoy similar results. They sure aren't gonna hear anything positive about the low-carb way of eating from the media!

The author of the article writes, "Something must be done--now."

That's exactly right! We need to take action and help each other before the problem of obesity gets worse than it already has.

Regent University Helps Promote 'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb'

I received contact from a newspaper in the Hampton Roads, Virginia (Virginia Beach/Norfolk) on Tuesday inquiring about obtaining a copy of my weight loss success story book called "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." As you know from this blog post, I just sent my manuscript to the publisher and it could be several months before the finished book comes out. But still I wondered how in the world they caught wind that I wrote a book and wanted to help me promote it.

Lo and behold, the school I received my Master's Degree from is the culprit:

"Regent alum writes book about weight loss challenge"

I graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy from Regent University in 2002. They previously wrote about my weight loss success itself in a story in April, but now they have sent this press release out to the media regarding my book.

This was a nice surprise from the school I still owe tens of thousands of student loan dollars to. LOL! I guess they want me to hurry up and pay them off, so they can get their money. Just kidding!

Study Claims Office Jobs Cause Men To Gain Weight

A new study from Australia suggests men who work in an office all day are more likely to become overweight because of their "sedentary" environment.

In the August 2005 edition of The American Journal of Preventative Medicine, lead researcher Dr. Kerry Mummery from The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia said inactivity because of sitting in front of a computer all day has created "a potentially hostile environment in terms of overweight and obesity."

Observing 1,579 Australian men and women who have full-time office jobs which require them to sit for extended periods of time, Dr. Mummery found that men sat an average of 209 minutes per day compared with 189 minutes per day for women.

Dr. Mummery and his team concluded that those 20 extra minutes of sitting per day by men led to a correlating 68 percent chance of an increase in their body mass index. The women in the study did not have a similar rise in obesity rates, the researchers revealed.

The conclusion of the study was to challenge employers to "be more proactive in the health of their employees by promoting physical activity at work” to improve worker productivity.

I personally have an office job whereby I sit in front of a computer screen all day long. Of course, if you have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I lost 180 pounds in 2004 following a low-carb lifestyle and have kept it off. The results of this study are certainly typical for someone with an office job, but I don't think you can necessarily blame the job for high obesity rates among men who work behind a desk.

As someone who has worked in an office environment for many years, I know the temptation is there to mindlessly munch on junk food and sip on sugary sodas all day to help get you through the day. Of course, now that I'm livin' la vida low-carb, that munching is a lot healthier than it used to be with nuts, low-carb chocolate, diet sodas and water. But the overeating factor can quite possibly play a role in the obesity rates of office workers.

When it comes to inactivity, again you cannot blame the job. Instead, the individual worker needs to make time to get up and get moving throughout the day. Since I drink so much water and diet soda, I get a lot of exercise during frequent bathroom breaks. These not only allow me to take care of my business, but I can stretch and move my body so I don't get all stiff. In fact, I go to my local YMCA during my lunch breaks to get in a cardio workout on the elliptical. Now how's that for spending your lunch hour productively?!

While a desk job is not going to help you burn calories or encourage healthy eating habits, I don't buy the assertion that having one necessarily causes you to become obese. I've bucked that trend myself with my lifestyle choices and others can do the same for themselves. I can respect the work Dr. Mummery and his staff of researchers have made on this subject, but I think I will respectfully disagree with their consensus that men who work in an office job are prone to becoming obese. It is not a foregone conclusion.

Feel free to share your thoughts about this study in an e-mail to Dr. Mummery at k.mummery@cqu.edu.au.

07/21/2005 UPDATE: The author of this study was kind enough to e-mail me the following brief response to this blog entry about his research:

Thanks for your interest in our work. I appreciate the debate you are promoting.

Cheers

Kerry

Professor Kerry Mummery, PhD
Director, Centre for Social Science Research
Central Queensland University
Rockhampton, Queensland
AUSTRALIA 4702

Thank you for your research, Dr. Mummery. Together we can grab this obesity monster by the horns and slay him once and for all. :-)

Children's Health Report Neglects Obesity Epidemic

A report released on Wednesday about the current state of health of American children in 2005 presents a conflicting picture of reality.

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, which is comprised of 20 different government agencies designed to research issues involving children and families, submitted their annual "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being" report for 2005 and revealed various health indicators led them to believe the health of children in the United States is doing pretty well.

But, unfortunately, there are no warnings in this report about the rising obesity rates in children and only a scant mention of weight issues at all.

In the Health section of the report, it states:

"The proportion of children ages 6–18 who were overweight increased from 6 percent in 1976–1980 to 16 percent in 1999–2002. Racial, ethnic, and gender disparities exist, such that in 1999–2002, Black-alone, non-Hispanic girls and Mexican American boys were at particularly high risk of being overweight (23 percent and 27 percent, respectively)."

That's it! There's nothing in this report about kids overconsuming sugar and getting fatter and fatter by the day. In fact, a recent research study conducted by the University of Missouri-Columbia found that childhood obesity is expected to reach 100 percent by 2044. THIS SHOULD BE A WAKE-UP CALL FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THEY'RE JUST IGNORING THE PROBLEM!

With warnings from overseas about the possible causes of childhood obesity, the United States needs to be leading the way on this issue and not standing idly by hoping it will miraculously just go away on its own.

The fact of the matter is that kids are drinking way too much sugary sodas and eating large amounts of candy that are causing them to get fat. In addition, they are not getting enough exercise to burn off all those extra carbs and calories they are consuming on a daily basis.

In looking on the ChildStats.com Contact page, there is not any assigned as the obesity contact under the Health heading. What is wrong with this picture?! Do we even care that our children are growing up to be overweight and obese, will carry that into their adult lives, and quite possibly have their own children someday who will go through the same vicious cycle!

This web site with the children's health report is run jointly by the U.S. Department of Education and The National Center for Education Statistics.

Tell them they need to get serious about children's healthy by educating our kids about healthy eating choices that do not include sugar so that obesity rates will fall and the overall health of children will improve. Also, ask them why the obesity epidemic is being neglected. Let us know if you hear a response.

Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Improves Blood Pressure, Shrinks Waistline

Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg: Eat More Dark Chocolate!

A new research study released today in the medical journal Hypertension and in the American Heart Association publication Circulation says consumption of dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, and improve blood vessel function in people with hypertension.

Conducted by Dr. Jeffrey B. Blumberg from the Boston-based Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, the research examined 20 random subjects to eat either 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate or white chocolate for fifteen straight days.

All of the participants' vital signs were checked prior to the study, including their blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and blood vessel functions. The white chocolate was used as the constant because it is devoid of the flavonols found in dark chocolate, which the researchers believed would cause the eventual health improvements discovered.

Dark chocolate caused a significant drop in blood pressure and a reduction in the LDL "bad" cholesterol. These benefits of eating dark chocolate are expected to be good news for people who are susceptible to having a heart attack or stroke.

Nevertheless, Blumberg warns that people with high blood pressure need to be careful about eating large amounts of dark chocolate because it contains a high amount of fat and sugar which could ultimately negate the healthy benefits it offers.

"The findings do not suggest that people with high blood pressure should eat lots of dark chocolate in lieu of other important blood pressure-reduction methods, such as medication and exercise," Blumberg said in a statement. "Rather, we are identifying specific flavonoids that can have a benefit on blood pressure and insulin sensitivity."

For people following a low-carb way of eating or anyone interested in the health benefits of consuming a sugar-free version of dark chocolate, you can definitely eat your fair share of this bittersweet version of chocolate without the negative effects associated with overconsuming sugar.

Since dark chocolate is my personal favorite flavor, I have a vested interest in finding a healthy, sugar-free version that meets my need for this intriguing flavor. I have found it in the Dark Chocolate version of Z-Carb bars. In fact, you have three flavors to choose from: plain, with soy crisps, and with macadamia nuts. These low-carb candy bars are so rich in flavor and have as close to ZERO NET CARBS as you can possibly get. I have personally eaten as much as a pound of this chocolate in a day while livin' la vida low-carb! They are THAT good! And, in case you were wondering, they do NOT cause the gas that so many other sugar-free chocolate candies do with their maltitol-infested products.

Consuming sugar-free dark chocolate, such as Z-Carb, will not only improve your blood pressure and help prevent heart ailments, but will also help shrink your waistline. It helped me go from a 62 inch waist down to a size 40 in just one year as I lost 180 pounds with a low-carb lifestyle. You can read more about livin' la vida low-carb by clicking on this link to my blog.

You can e-mail Dr. Blumberg at jeffrey.blumberg@tufts.edu.

Will New FDA Head Be Friend Or Foe To Low-Carb?

Lester Crawford, the new FDA commissioner

The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Lester Crawford to become the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration on Monday.

After months of stall tactics implored by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York as well as Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, Crawford's nomination was released to the floor and approved on a 78-16 vote.

As acting commissioner of the FDA since March 2004 as well as a previous stint as deputy commissioner, Crawford has gained experience for the position he now holds. However, his tenure at the FDA has not been without controversy, including possible shady money distribution for some of his employees, allegedly coaching one of his employees to help her win a promotion, as well as approving some prescription drugs which have subsequently had to be pulled from the market because of possible health concerns.

While much of the focus of Crawford nomination will be on those issues, I have an even bigger question regarding this new FDA head. Will he be a friend or foe of low-carb?

The FDA commissioner is a very powerful person in Washington and can have a lasting effect on food and drug policy. As those who oppose the healthy low-carb lifestyle continue to voice their concerns even louder in the coming years, Crawford may begin to take heed of these critics and make pronouncements regarding low-carb and the foods people eat on that program enjoy.

Everyone knows the government promotes a low-fat diet via their cherish food pyramid as the way to being healthy (although most people are clueless about what the pyramid recommends), but those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb know better. We are aware that not everyone has the same dietary needs and some people have trouble following a low-fat/low-calorie/portion-controlled diet approach. Low-carb has filled that void for so many people that its effectiveness cannot be ignored.

Will Crawford be a friend or foe of low-carb? The jury is still out on this question. Stay tuned.

Amazon Lists Dr. Atkins Among Their 'Hall Of Fame' Authors

Popular online merchant Amazon.com recently celebrated their 10th anniversary on the Internet and decided to compile a list of the bestselling authors over the years to be included in their "Hall of Fame."

At the top of the list is J.K. Rowling, author of the wildly popular Harry Potter books. I just read that new one sold something like 7 million copies in the first day, or 250,000 books an hour! I'd just be happy to sell 25 THOUSAND of my upcoming book and consider it a HUGE success. Rowling is definitely the queen of her domain right now and can write just about whatever she wants. These Potter fans are wild. Amazon even sold more than 2 million copies of Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince before it released last Saturday.

Several other noted authors, including Dr. Seuss at #5, John Grisham at #6, and Stephen King at #7 are very well-known writers and have made their mark in publishing history. The Left Behind series authors Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins landed at #9 and daytime television talk show and advice guru Phil McGraw came in at #11.

Guess who slipped in under the radar as the bestselling health author in Amazon.com's decade of existence? It's none of than the patriarch of livin' la vida low-carb himself, Dr. Robert C. Atkins. I'm not surprised, but look at how they describe Dr. Atkins in their little blurb about who he is:

"Creator of the famous 'Atkins Diet,' which shuns carbohydrates in favor of meat-laden protein."

Even when he's being recognized for achieving great success, these people still don't get it right about what Dr. Atkins promoted in his books. Maybe somebody should have actually READ one of those millions of books that sold because they would know Dr. Atkins never promoted anything that "shuns carbohydrates in favor of meat-laden protein." That is the editorial comment of the person who wrote this story and is so far from the truth it is simply ludicrous.

To add insult to injury regarding the description of what the Atkins lifestyle is about, the comment made about the #24 author on the list, Arthur Agatston, is equally repulsive:

"Created the 'South Beach Diet,' which unlike the Atkins program says carbs can be good."

While I have no qualms with The South Beach Diet, the insinuation that it is somehow better than Atkins because it believe carbs are good is just absurd. The Atkins diet also advocates eating carbs, but in a controlled manner. The open disdain for the Atkins approach is mindboggling to me. What did he ever do to them to deserve such disrespect?

Regardless of how people viewed Dr. Atkins and his books, his impact on society and history cannot be diminished. My life was changed dramatically as a result of reading Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. I will never have to live with the burden of obesity and the related healthy problems that go with it ever again because this man had the vision to create a weight loss and weight maintenance program that really works.

Others may mock him now because he does not fit into their mold of significant people, but someday soon Dr. Atkins will get his due as more and more people like me prove he was right all the time.

Kudos to Amazon.com for honoring a true giant in the realm of health and nutrition.

One final note: Isn't it funny that of the top 25 authors on this list, the only health and nutrition authors that made it are the creators of low-carb lifestyles? I guess Dr. Atkins gets the last laugh after all!

I Sent My Book To The Publisher ... Now I Get To Hurry Up & Wait

After months and months of researching, outlining and writing, writing, writing, the completed rough draft of my weight loss success story book is finished and sent to the publisher. If you have never written a book before, then you have no idea how incredibly draining it can be on you physically and mentally as you attempt to put into words an assemblance of thoughts and ideas that you are enthusiastic about. Especially when the subject matter is something as personal as weight loss, writing a book is not an easy thing to do. But I am so glad I did it and I can't wait for you to be able to see it sometime very soon.

Now all I can do is wait as my publisher takes my "polished" manuscript and likely rips it to shreds in order to make it better. I'm ready for that, although I personally re-read my entire book at least five times as well as had several others review it, too. I think I have done my part to make sure it is as mistake-free as it can possibly be. For those of you who know me, I am a perfectionist when it comes to writing. A misspelled word or bad use of grammar drives me crazy. Hopefully that will translate into a top-notch quality book for people to enjoy.

Some exciting developments have unfolded in just the past couple of weeks regarding my book. I was able to procure two A-list authors who provided me with a quote for the back of my book endorsing it. The first one is Jonny Bowden, author of Living The Low Carb Life. The second one is Jacqueline A. Eberstein, R.N., who co-authored the book Atkins Diabetes Revolution. I am humbled and honored to have the support of these two leaders in the world of low-carb and their commitment to me and my book says a lot about the kind of people these two really are. THANKS Jonny and Jacqueline!

My publisher will review my book and begin formatting it for print in the coming weeks. They will send me the final draft of my manuscript for any last-minute changes hopefully by the end of September at the very latest so I can release this book sometime in October or November. As soon as I know when it will be available for purchase at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, I will let you know. For now, I'm just so glad the hard part of writing is finally done. Now I can relax a little bit and get some sleep for a change. :-)

THANK YOU again to everyone who has supported me through the writing process. You are so special to me and I will never forget your loving kindness. God bless you all!

My AFTER Pictures

Okay, now that you've seen what I looked like at 410 pounds, how about what I look like after losing 180 pounds? Here are the pictures:

With my beautiful wife Christine
Looking spiffy and relaxing at home
Reading Jonny Bowden's Living the Low-Carb Life
Writing my book and at my blog
Drinking my favorite diet soda
Holding my cat named Ginger
Hey, where'd my gut go?
Christmas with my family after losing weight
How about that sharp dressed man!
Wearing the bomber jacket my sister got me for Christmas
And a colorful sweater from my mom
The picture I sent to family after losing weight

Click HERE to see my BEFORE pictures.

What Ordering A Pizza May Be Like In 2008....

A friend of mine sent this along and it was too good not to share with you:

Operator:  Thank you for calling Pizza Hut.  May I have your national ID number?

Customer:  Hi, I'd like to place an order.

Operator:  I must have your NIDN first, sir.

Customer:  My National ID Number, yeah, hold on, eh, it's 6102049998-45-54610.

Operator:   Thank you Mr. Sheehan.  I see you live at 1742 Meadowland Drive, and the phone number is 494-2366. Your office number over at Lincoln Insurance is 745-2302 and your cell number is 266-2566.  E-mail address is sheehan@home.net. I see you're calling me from home.

Customer:  Huh? Where'd you get all this information?

Operator:  We're wired into the HSS, sir.

Customer:  The HSS, what is that?

Operator:  We're wired into the Homeland Security System, sir. This will add only 15 seconds to your ordering time.

Customer:  (sighs) Oh well, I'd like to order a couple of your All-Meat
Special pizzas.

Operator:  I don't think that's a good idea, sir.

Customer:  Whaddya mean?

Operator: Sir, your medical records and commode sensors indicate that you've got very high blood pressure and extremely high cholesterol. Your National Health Care provider won't allow such an unhealthy choice.

Customer:  What?!?! What do you recommend, then?

Operator:  You might try our low-fat Soybean Pizza.  I'm sure you'll like it.

Customer:  What makes you think I'd like something like that?

Operator:  Well, you checked out 'Gourmet Soybean Recipes' from your local library last week, sir.  That's why I made the suggestion.

Customer:  All right, all right.  Give me two family-sized ones, then.

Operator:  That should be plenty for you, your wife and your four kids. Your 2 dogs can finish the crusts, sir. Your total is $49.99.

Customer:  Lemme give you my credit card number.

Operator:  I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid you'll have to pay in cash. Your credit card balance is over its limit.

Customer:  I'll run over to the ATM and get some cash before your driver gets here.

Operator:  That won't work either, sir. Your checking account is overdrawn also.

Customer:  Never mind! Just send the pizzas. I'll have the cash ready. How long will it take?

Operator:  We're running a little behind. It'll be about 45 minutes, sir. If you're in a hurry you might want to pick'em up while you're out getting the cash, but then, carrying pizzas on a motorcycle can be a little awkward.

Customer:  Wait! How do you know I ride a bike?

Operator:  It says here you're in arrears on your car payments, so your car got repo'ed. But your Harley's paid for and you just filled the tank yesterday.

Customer:  Well, I'll be a #%#^^&$%^$@#

Operator:  I'd advise watching your language, sir. You've already got a July 4, 2003 conviction for cussing out a cop and another one I see here in September for contempt at your hearing for cussing at a judge. Oh yes, I see here that you just got out from a 90 day stay in the State Correctional Facility. Is this your first pizza since your return to society?

Customer:  (speechless)

Operator:  Will there be anything else, sir?

Customer:  Yes, I have a coupon for a free 2 liter of Coke..

Operator:   I'm sorry sir, but our ad's exclusionary clause prevents us from offering free soda to diabetics. The New Constitution prohibits this ... Thank you for calling Pizza Hut!

This is funny because it very well may happen if Big Brother continues to peek into every area of our lives. I don't need the government telling me what's healthy for me because they would surely outlaw my low-carb lifestyle. Remember this cute story the next time you hear them talking about a national ID card on Capitol Hill!

Ranting Blogger Turns To Personal Attacks To Make Her Point

Just when I thought this controversy from that AOL Journal member had begun to die down, here she comes again stirring up a hornet's nest:

http://journals.aol.com/artloner/andirants/entries/659

She makes several points in her post about me personally that I think need to be clarified.

"I DID praise the general content of [Melting Mama's] information of diet foods and noted that I would indeed return FOR THAT SORT OF INFORMATION but they missed all that, all due to the careful Internet Hall Monitoring by one Jimmy Moore who cheerfully agitated all the weight-loss folk over there into a feeding frenzy."

I did no such thing. All I did was report what I saw as a vicious and unwarranted attack against someone for wanting to raise money for her post-weight loss surgery. That's what it was and I was not going to stand by and allow that to happen without challenging it.

"I didn't post my opinions in HER blog, thus just livin' out my First Amendment Right to Free Speech in my little corner of the WWW.  Here it is, just in case any of you ninnies skipped that part when you took your GED: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances — The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

I have no problem with you exercising your First Amendment rights to free speech because it is what makes this country the greatest in the world. Speaking of namecalling, this "ninnie" just so happens to have a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, so I am well aware of what our United States Constitution says. I don't need to be lectured by you on that or any other subject.

"My post was reproduced in its entirety in both Melting Mama and Jimmy Moore's blogs."

While Beth chose to post this person's rant at her blog, I did not do that at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." Instead, I simply provided a link to her AOL Journal to allow people to see what she had written. In fact, I didn't even quote from her text as I normally do when I am critical of the content someone writes. This lady is lying when she claims I "reproduced [her writing] in its entirety" in this forum. That just didn't happen.

"The disappointing thing was that none of those people seemed to see that Mr Moore was whipping the whole thing up into a WAY bigger deal than it should have been, going so far as to encourage another irate reader 'Angel' to post her flames on Blogger, since evidently she couldn't figure out how to sign onto AIM and get to me from there. "

Oh, so if we disagree with her opinion, we are "whipping up" things and writing "flames." Is this lady a part of reality? Again, for the record, I did not encourage anything more than for people to realize that someone was blasting a weight loss success for wanting to have an abdominoplasty done and put a PayPal link at her blog. It seems to me that this lady is the one who is making a bigger deal out of this than me.

After whining about her own health problems and how we just don't understand what she's going through right now, the lady finishes her remarks with this insult:

"I had and still have no problem with MeltingMama, her husband or anyone else who is tackling problems with morbid obesity, I DO have a problem with Mr Moore who clearly has nothing better to do with his time than instigate flame wars, and deserves every miserable minute of living in Spartanburg, SC... Number 1 in the nation for Domestic Violence, that he gets, and the continued company of those ill informed ninnies who jumped on this like rednecks on Velveeta before they knew what the hell they were talking about and who they were talking to. Perhaps there's a trailer park big enough to accomodate all of you at once."

Keep in mind that I have not and will not personally attack this person. My comments have been directed at her comments regarding Beth's blog. However, this is exactly the kind of response I expected from someone who wrote such a hate-filled original post. This woman is obviously very bitter about who knows what and sought to lash out at me in response. I'm sorry that she had to degrade herself to this level in order to make her point, but it certainly does nothing for her credibility.

I didn't know I was going to be a part of any "flame wars" this weekend, but I guess it just happened. I've been busy writing on my book and haven't even stopped eating my Velveeta cheese long enough this weekend to be on the Internet much. My trailer got unplugged last night, so now it's hotter than a whoopersnapper on a sidewalk. That's why I'm writing you now. LOL!

As for me, this saga is finished. It was quite entertaining, but was not meant to turn into a nasty namecalling contest. I have better battles to fight in this forum. Thank you to everyone who showed your support for Beth and her blog during this time. She did not deserve the disrespect this woman was giving her. I'm sure Beth wouldn't mind you showing how much you appreciate her by voting for her in that blog contest. :-)

My BEFORE Pictures

By popular demand and to prove that I really did used to weigh 410 pounds (in case any of you were doubting it!), here is just a sampling of what I used to look like BEFORE I started livin' la vida low-carb:

This is as big as I ever got!
Here I am with singer Russ Taff
In a silly pose at work
I give up! (Look at that gut!)
Hi! Look at me, I'm fat!
With former Kansas lead singer John Elefante
Christian singer Clay Crosse looks puny next to my big body!
How did I let myself get THIS big?!

Click HERE to see my AFTER pictures.

Vicious Rant Against Post-Weight Loss Surgery Unwarranted

I wanted to share with you an interesting comment from a blog on AOL Journals called "She Said WHAT?" which heavily criticizes that woman from Boston I told you about who lost over 300 pounds with her husband after undergoing gastric bypass surgery in 2004.

After reading this little diatribe from a woman in her late 30s lecturing about an entitlement society because Beth Padore had the nerve to ask for donations to her "I-need-an-abdominoplasty" plea at her blog, I just had to respond.

The following is my response to her sometimes crude comments through the eyes of another weight loss success who needs corrective surgery done on his stomach:

"While I respect your comments regarding the entitlement society we live in today and agree that far too many people feel they are OWED something for doing NOTHING, I have to disagree with your apparent beratement of Beth for soliciting funds to have her abdominoplasty done.

Just like Beth, I lost a LOT of weight in 2004. All in all, I was able to shed 180 pounds off my body and feel better than I have ever felt in my entire life. It was not without a lot of hard work and determination that this feat was accomplished.

Of course, from what I read you saying, I never should have gotten in that position in the first place. And you are exactly right. But since I was in that position and since I was able to do something to correct the problem, I don't think it is unreasonable for someone to solicit assistance from others who may want to help with surgeries that need to be done.

Beth is not demanding people pay her, but she's simply giving people an opportunity to contribute if they feel compelled to do so. Most people who read her blog probably don't contribute a single dime. But others may want to do a lot more.

The point is, Beth has every right to ask for money for her abdominoplasty. I need one, too, but will have to wait for something fortuitous to happen as well because I cannot afford it. Oh, I could save up for years and years and eventually get it done. But it certainly would be nice to do this sooner than later.

Lay off people like Beth because there are a lot of us out here who would like to have it done, but just simply cannot afford to do it at this time. $12,000 and a couple of months off work is not cheap. You would understand this plight if you were going through it yourself. THANKS for allowing me to share my comments.

Jimmy Moore, "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man"
livinlowcarbman@charter.net
http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com

Beth doesn't really need me defending her, though, because she does so quite well in her self-admitted sarcastic post at her "Melting Mama" blog.

I feel a kindred spirit with people like Beth because I'm going through the same issues as she is. I would LOVE to have an abdominoplasty done and have written to Oprah, Maury and a ton of others trying to get it done. Do I feel ENTITLED to have this done? Of course not! But if there is a way to get it done quicker and cheaper than years of saving up money, then you bet I'm gonna try.

The skin I have in my tummy area is not going anywhere. My doctor told me the elasticity is simply gone from where my stomach used to protrude out to a 62 inch waist. My waist size is currently 40, but would likely shrink down to a 38 or 36 if the excess skin could be cut off. Additionally, that skin probably weighs about 15-20 pounds, so my weight could drop even further from the 230 I currently weight. Would I get this surgery done if this was taken care of by a television show or group of people interested in helping me get it done? ABSOLUTELY! Why not? If my story can inspire others to do this for themselves, then why not take the opportunities that come your way?

I am at the end of writing my book about my weight loss and will probably include a brief mention about the need for an abdominoplasty in the final chapter. It is a subject that is rarely discussed because there are not many of us who have lost over 150 pounds. Although we are a minority, that does not lessen our desire to have our voice heard on this issue. Insurance companies aren't listening to our concerns nor do they care. It's a shame people who are able to do something so lifechanging that has improved their health cannot have a procedure like an abdominoplasty covered by their insurance. That's a crying shame!

As for the smug rant from the AOL Journal member, I think she should be a little more sensitive to the needs of those of us who have gone through this experience if she herself walked a mile in our shoes. Until that happens, she probably needs to keep her big mouth shut on the subject. That's all I have to say about that. Comments?

By the way, DON'T FORGET to vote in South of Boston's "Battle of the Blogs" contest before Sunday, August 7, 2005. Send an e-mail to bloggerbattle@southofboston.com and cast your vote for "Melting Mama and Deflating Daddy" to win. After you submit your contest entry to South of Boston, be sure to send Beth an e-mail at bethlbutterfly@aol.com to let her know you support her and her blog. THANK YOU!!!

07/18/2005 UPDATE: Just when I thought this controversy from that AOL Journal member had begun to die down, here she comes again stirring up a hornet's nest:

http://journals.aol.com/artloner/andirants/entries/659

She makes several points in her post about me personally that I think need to be clarified.

"I DID praise the general content of [Melting Mama's] information of diet foods and noted that I would indeed return FOR THAT SORT OF INFORMATION but they missed all that, all due to the careful Internet Hall Monitoring by one Jimmy Moore who cheerfully agitated all the weight-loss folk over there into a feeding frenzy."

I did no such thing. All I did was report what I saw as a vicious and unwarranted attack against someone for wanting to raise money for her post-weight loss surgery. That's what it was and I was not going to stand by and allow that to happen without challenging it.

"I didn't post my opinions in HER blog, thus just livin' out my First Amendment Right to Free Speech in my little corner of the WWW. Here it is, just in case any of you ninnies skipped that part when you took your GED: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances — The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

I have no problem with you exercising your First Amendment rights to free speech because it is what makes this country the greatest in the world. Speaking of namecalling, this "ninnie" just so happens to have a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, so I am well aware of what our United States Constitution says. I don't need to be lectured by you on that or any other subject.

"My post was reproduced in its entirety in both Melting Mama and Jimmy Moore's blogs."

While Beth chose to post this person's rant at her blog, I did not do that at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." Instead, I simply provided a link to her AOL Journal to allow people to see what she had written. In fact, I didn't even quote from her text as I normally do when I am critical of the content someone writes. This lady is lying when she claims I "reproduced [her writing] in its entirety" in this forum. That just didn't happen.

"The disappointing thing was that none of those people seemed to see that Mr Moore was whipping the whole thing up into a WAY bigger deal than it should have been, going so far as to encourage another irate reader 'Angel' to post her flames on Blogger, since evidently she couldn't figure out how to sign onto AIM and get to me from there. "

Oh, so if we disagree with her opinion, we are "whipping up" things and writing "flames." Is this lady a part of reality? Again, for the record, I did not encourage anything more than for people to realize that someone was blasting a weight loss success for wanting to have an abdominoplasty done and put a PayPal link at her blog. It seems to me that this lady is the one who is making a bigger deal out of this than me.

After whining about her own health problems and how we just don't understand what she's going through right now, the lady finishes her remarks with this insult:

"I had and still have no problem with MeltingMama, her husband or anyone else who is tackling problems with morbid obesity, I DO have a problem with Mr Moore who clearly has nothing better to do with his time than instigate flame wars, and deserves every miserable minute of living in Spartanburg, SC... Number 1 in the nation for Domestic Violence, that he gets, and the continued company of those ill informed ninnies who jumped on this like rednecks on Velveeta before they knew what the hell they were talking about and who they were talking to. Perhaps there's a trailer park big enough to accomodate all of you at once."

Keep in mind that I have not and will not personally attack this person. My comments have been directed at her comments regarding Beth's blog. However, this is exactly the kind of response I expected from someone who wrote such a hate-filled original post. This woman is obviously very bitter about who knows what and sought to lash out at me in response. I'm sorry that she had to degrade herself to this level in order to make her point, but it certainly does nothing for her credibility.

I didn't know I was going to be a part of any "flame wars" this weekend, but I guess it just happened. I've been busy writing on my book and haven't even stopped eating my Velveeta cheese long enough this weekend to be on the Internet much. My trailer got unplugged last night, so now it's hotter than a whoopersnapper on a sidewalk. That's why I'm writing you now. LOL!

As for me, this saga is finished. It was quite entertaining, but was not meant to turn into a nasty namecalling contest. I have better battles to fight in this forum. Thank you to everyone who showed your support for Beth and her blog during this time. She did not deserve the disrespect this woman was giving her. I'm sure Beth wouldn't mind you showing how much you appreciate her by voting for her in that blog contest. :-)